Barbell Stiff Legged Deadlift

1. Stand with feet hip width apart holding a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand grip.
2. Set a very slight bend in the knees and lock that angle in for the whole set.
3. Pull your shoulders back, brace your core, and set a flat back.
4. Push your hips backward and lower the bar down the front of your legs.
5. Descend until the hamstrings reach a deep stretch, typically around mid shin, without rounding the spine.
6. Drive the hips forward to stand tall, keeping the bar close to your body the entire way.
7. Squeeze the glutes at lockout and repeat for 6 to 10 controlled reps.

Common Mistakes

• Rounding the back to go deeper: Range means nothing once the spine flexes. Lower only as far as your hamstring flexibility allows with a flat back.
• Bending the knees as you descend: Letting the knees unlock turns the lift into a Romanian deadlift or a squat. The near straight knee angle is the whole point.
• Drifting the bar away: A bar floating forward multiplies stress on the lower back. Drag it down the thighs and shins like it is on rails.
• Jerking off the floor between reps: Bouncing plates snaps the load onto a stretched hamstring. Pause briefly at the bottom and pull smoothly.

Programming Tips

The stiff legged deadlift is the hamstring hinge taken to its longest range: with the knees nearly locked in a slight bend, every centimeter of the descent comes from the hips, and the hamstrings are stretched harder than in any other barbell lift. Program it as the hinge accessory after squats or conventional deadlifts, 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps, or as the main hamstring lift on a second lower day. Because the stretch under load is extreme, it also carries the biggest soreness bill in the gym; introduce it with 2 light sessions before loading it honestly.

Load matters less than depth here. Use 60 to 70 percent of your conventional deadlift at most, lower over 2 to 3 seconds, and stop exactly where the flat back ends, usually around mid shin. Standing on a low platform only helps once you can reach the floor with a rigid spine. Progress in 2.5 kg jumps and resist the urge to turn it back into a regular deadlift when the weight gets heavy.

Common Questions

Stiff legged or Romanian deadlift, what is the difference?

The Romanian keeps a softer knee bend and stops around mid shin as a rule; the stiff legged version keeps the knees straighter and chases the deepest stretch your hamstrings allow. The RDL is the better heavy strength lift, the stiff legged version the sharper hypertrophy tool.

How low should I go?

Only as far as the spine stays neutral. For most lifters that is mid shin; very flexible lifters reach the floor. A rounded lower back at the bottom means the stretch outran your position, so shorten the range.

Should my knees be completely locked?

No. Keep a slight, fixed bend of 10 to 15 degrees. Fully locked knees shift stress onto the knee joint and lower back without stretching the hamstrings any harder.